El Rey Network's "Rebel Without A Crew" filmmaker Scarlet Moreno really knows how to make a statement. Her latest short film, Velma, works on many levels and - as it is led by a commanding performance from Moreno herself as the titular character - serves as a calling card many young directors would be and should be envious of.
To put it bluntly, Velma absolutely explodes off the screen with a slice of retro fantasy horror that both David Lynch and Anna Biller would be proud of. It is both moody and meaningful as it drips all sorts of technicolor paint from its costumes and its set design. This is almost a study in color - with red being a primary one - as Velma brings one male after another into her den of sex and shame.
But whose shame is she feeling? Hers or is it society’s collective judgment on what she does with her body.
And the guilt makes her do crazy things. And it is here, where the pulp meets the passion, in which Velma shines as it dips into a slight horror camp. This is due to its shangri la-like set designs and the question it poses to the audience: is it the sex which bothers you or is it the violence?
Starring Moreno and "Days of Our Lives" and "The Young and the Restless" alum Zach Tinker, Velma has no easy answer for you. But it is a bold and beautiful vision of a world in which a very feminine approach to exploitation cinema is massaged until it cries out in an ecstasy of technicolor and Hammer-like horror. 
The short film world premiered at Panic Fest in 2022, with screenings and awards at Film Quest (Best Costumes), Underworlds Film Fest (The Banshee Award), Arthouse Film Fest (the Fellini Award for Best Art Direction), Nightmares (Best Cinematography), and Sin City Horror Fest (Best Editing).
Velma arrives on VOD March 26. You can enter your house, but you may never leave.
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 14 mins
Director: Scarlet Moreno
Writer: Scarlet Moreno
Cast: Scarlet Moreno; Zach Tinker
Genre: Short | Horror
Tagline: A Film by Scarlet Moreno.
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Release Date: March 26, 2024
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